NC Job Driven National Emergency Grant is Here

North Carolina has received the Job Driven National Emergency Grant (JD NEG) from the United States Department of Labor. The High Country Workforce Development Board (WDB) is one of only six workforce boards across the state that will be participating. The JD NEG is a coordinated partnership approach with two significant and compatible service components designed to assist dislocated workers and employers to better access North Carolina’s workforce development system:

1. Back-to-Work Initiative providing classroom technical skills job training at 12 participating community colleges (including Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute and Mayland Community College in the High Country region)
2. On-the-Job Training (OJT) work-based learning.

The alignment of enhanced partnerships of workforce system partners, including community colleges and local NCWorks Career Centers, with employers and jobseekers is an expectation of this grant. Workforce Development Boards and local community colleges must partner on recruitment and referral.

Target Group
• Long-term (WIA-eligible) unemployed for 27 weeks or more
• Dislocated workers likely to exhaust their unemployment insurance benefits
• Veterans that meet the dislocated worker definition will be given priority
• Concurrently, the grant will assist employers to fill positions within demand occupations.

Grant Specifics
• Grant period: July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2016
• Minimum Number to serve through OJT in High Country: 32
• Maximum OJT Training Period: Six calendar months
• Targeted average OJT wage level: $14.90
• Maximum wage amount for calculation of reimbursement: $20.39
• Reimbursement based on sliding scale: 90%, 75%, 50% Maximums based on number of employees at each business (Same as other funding sources)

Allowable Paths to Employment
1. On-the-Job Training only;
2. Technical Skills job training through the Back to Work Initiative only; or
3. On-the-Job Training combined with technical skills job training through the Back to
Work Initiative (Not necessarily in that order).

Targeted Training Areas
• Growth Industries including manufacturing; biopharma; IT/Software; transportation/logistics;
• LEAD “Hot Jobs” List; and
• Local community colleges and WDBs actively engaged in determining occupations for training.

Expected Statewide Outcomes
• Minimum 240 OJT participants total for grant (96 minimum for Northwest Region, 32 for High Country).
• NC OJT Policy must be followed.
• Minimum 780 community college participants completing training total for grant.
• Performance: $15,500 – average six month earnings; 91% employment retention rate.
• Classroom training graduates may enter employment with or without OJT.
• Goal is for all participants to enter employment. If further classroom training is
desired, it is encouraged to be concurrent with work.